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Janice Pennington
Janice Marie Pennington (born July 8, 1942 in Seattle, Washington) was one of the original "Barker's Beauties" models on The Price is Right, serving as the show's longest-running model to date, from 1972 to 2000. She was also Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for the May 1971 issue. She is the older sister of fellow model Ann Pennington. Pennington is also the co-founder of the Hollywood Film Festival alongside her current husband. Janice is also the author of her own book called "Husband, Lover, Spy". Her Career Before & During The Price is Right Her first job as a dancer was at the Seattle World's Fair at the age of 19. From there she went to Las Vegas where she worked as a dancer/show girl with such legends as Jimmy Durante and Eddie Fisher. At 22 years old she went to New York to pursue her modeling career. She signed with the famous Eileen Ford Agency. Fashion photography and television commercials ensued. She did over seventy commercials for such products as Dove, Chrysler, Max Factor, Whirlpool, Anacin, etc. While in New York she formed a rock group called "The Models" that traveled to Europe with Liza Minnelli, and performed at the Olympia Theater as one of Liza's opening acts. She was signed with MGM records and recorded the famous song Bend me Shape me. Industrial films and small budget movies were a part of her growing career. For two years she worked as an actress for Orson Welles in his last film "The Other Side Of The Wind," with such notables as Dennis Hopper, John Huston, Peter Bogdonavich and other famous stars. She appeared in many episodic TV series, such as Ironside, Courtship Of Eddie's Father, starring Bill Bixby, Lucas Tanner, and cameo roles on other television series. She played opposite Elliot Gould in the film I Love My Wife. Also she performed as an entertainer on variety shows, Rowan and Martin's Laugh In, Bob Hope Specials, and Sonny and Cher. During her tenure on those shows she worked with Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett among others. Then in 1969, she was one of the regulars on the hit variety show Laugh-In after actress Goldie Hawn left the show. In September 1971 she was hired to shoot the pilot for The Price is Right with Bob Barker. Janice has the world record for having taped over 6,300 game shows on the longest running game show in the history of television. On October 7, 1988, Janice suffered a serious injury after a cameraman swung his camera in the wrong direction during the opening as Janice was struck by the camera, knocking her into the audience. She was badly injured and was immediately rushed to the hospital for surgery. The production of that taping was stopped for nearly an hour until the staff was assured that Janice would survive. The taping finally resumed with only Holly Hallstrom and Dian Parkinson modeling. Over the next several weeks while Janice recovered from her injury, Kyle Aletter filled in for her. Janice returned to the show on November 10 and while she fully recovered, she was no longer able to model swimsuits after the accident as her surgeries left some scars on her shoulder. In February 1989, Janice filed suit against CBS citing negligence. The case went to trial and in March 1992, a jury awarded her $1.3 million for injuries she sustained on the set of The Price is Right. During the 1991-1992 TV season, Janice hosted a weekly 1/2 hour talk show called Breaking In where she revealed the real Hollywood, the stars and the stars behind the stars. She taped and broadcast 45 shows. Janice was dismissed from The Price is Right in 2000 (along with Kathleen Bradley). Though a reason was never given for their dismissal, it is rumored that both refused to testify against former beauty Holly Hallstrom in her wrongful termination suit against Bob Barker and they were fired as a result. Neither was given a proper formal send off by the show. Personal Life She has been married three times. Her first was to Glenn Jacobson, second to German mountain climber Friedrich "Fritz" Stammberger, who in 1975 disappeared in Afghanistan while mountain climbing. She later married writer Carlos de Abreu. Links Janice Pennington Picture Site Her Facebook Page YouTube Video Pennington has her body painted on I've Got a Secret with Steve Allen Category:Models